This Week's Leaders in Food and Cakes

Happy New Year!

It's a balmy 7 f degrees out there. H and I are going to the mall to return gifts and we'll probably go out to lunch or bring home Chinese takeout. I'm going to put on some fluffy socks and binge watch something. I don't think I could bear a recap of 2017's events. Tonight, it's cheese and wine and wine as I bid adieu to lousy 2017.

Please share your exciting plans so that I may live vicariously through you.

I started re-watching Game of Thrones, I'm on season 1 episode 4. It's interesting to go back and watch, knowing what I know now. So it's either GOT, Grace and Frankie or Botched. Decisions, decisions.

What are you watching Jen?

eileenrob, I vote for sleeping through it all. I hope you feel better soon.

we're hanging out with my family near Austin. It's in the low 30s, so we're all inside with the 8 dogs. Mom, sister, and I just made 5 dozen tamales and watched "Selena", so we're embracing our Mexican heritage. Otherwise, we're relaxing and teaching our 2 year old nephew to say "dilly dilly".

I just did 15 straight days in a row and I was told I have off tomorrow! Woohoo!

Just un-decorated the xmas stuff from the house and cleaned (so needed it) DH is @ work. I'm just chilling watching The Holiday drinking a beer.

Tomorrow is waking up late (normal wake up is 5:06 am - I always pick random times) and watching football. Might see the if the Mummer's parade is on somewhere. Also go out to dinner with some members.

What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests. Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated.

DD and SIL left yesterday. I spent the day cleaning because we had some friends over for dinner last night. It was very low key. I just happened to notice when it was 12:00 so we said Happy New Year! They left shortly afterwards. Slept in today and am getting a slow start. It is sooooo cold here that I don't want to go outside at all - not even to get into the car to go to the Y. I think I'll just get on the treadmill. Have a little more cleaning to do but plan on watching The Crown. Started watching it with DD while she was home. She has already watched season 1 but wanted to get me hooked - mission accomplished!

I undecorated as well, even though in my religious world Christmas does not end until The Epiphany on the 6th. However, DD had surgery on the 28th and it has been "all hands on deck" since then.

We had DD, SIL, and the babies here hoping to give DD a change of scenery. We ordered Chinese as well, and introduced the kids to "poppers". It's so easy to entertain little ones!

Staying indoors today as it is indeed freakishly cold here. I'm being a "Martha" (patron Saint of hospitality in a nutshell) and giving the house a deep clean. Back to post op care of the grandkids tomorrow, and giving SIL another break.

Looking forward to 2018 and the arrival of grandchild #3 in May with DS and DIL!

We played in snow last night! It was only a few minutes, but it was fun while it lasted!

Haha! My husband's cousin moved to Texas, married and started his family. His little girl had never seen snow. When she was about 9 yo, they decided to visit the relatives in CT one January. That was one of those winters that started with a bang in December and the snow refills kept coming until March, measuring in feet, not inches. We gathered supplies for their visit - sleds, lots of mismatched mittens, leggings, real winter coats, outgrown boots - yep we knew they'd show up in pretty matching coats with the faux fur trim, cute suede boots and leather gloves. They landed in Hartford between blizzards. The cousins stayed with my MIL, who lived at the edge of a park, right next to the steep hill where all the kids in town go sledding. That little Texas girl had an awesome week playing in the snow in New England, coming in for hot cocoa breaks and dry mittens. She got to learn the difference between snowman snow and the fluffy stuff, make snow angels, see falling snow, snow plows, school closings, power outages, her parents go to drive in the snow (YIKES!), and the vacation was topped off with a flight delay. Ahhh, the joys of winter.

I feel so accomplished. Not only did I undecorated and completely clean the house last night after work, I also did all the laundry. Including FINALLY putting away the many piles of clothes everywhere. Yep, laundry was getting done over the last few weeks. The clothes just never made it to their homes.

Oh, and it appears I have an excessive amount of underwear (thx to DH giving me 10 more this year, on top of the 5 a year he has given me every year for 10 years), I also have an excessive amount of sports bras (I do were them to work, but still). So much so I've run out of room in my drawers

That left me only grocery shopping to do today. Which I managed to do earlier this morning. Random - I went to 2 stores (only 2 in the area) and BOTH were out of water crackers. What's up with that? I have some nice brie and apples to eat and I really wanted water crackers.

Anyway, hope everyone is having a good NY day and...

Go TIGERS!

What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests. Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated.

Happy New Years everyone. DH and I were lucky enough to get away this year. It was -30C when we left and of course now that we’re in Mexico, it’s above 0 back home. Temps are supposed to drop again when we get back. Still, the sun is amazing.

Happy New Years everyone. DH and I were lucky enough to get away this year. It was -30C when we left and of course now that we’re in Mexico, it’s above 0 back home. Temps are supposed to drop again when we get back. Still, the sun is amazing.

Hoping all all of you have a great start to 2018

Woah! I can't imagine it being that cold. Are you on the east coast? We have a snow storm heading our way tonight into tomorrow. I mention this so you will enjoy your Mexican vacation even more.

Happy New Years everyone. DH and I were lucky enough to get away this year. It was -30C when we left and of course now that we’re in Mexico, it’s above 0 back home. Temps are supposed to drop again when we get back. Still, the sun is amazing.

Hoping all all of you have a great start to 2018

Woah! I can't imagine it being that cold. Are you on the east coast? We have a snow storm heading our way tonight into tomorrow. I mention this so you will enjoy your Mexican vacation even more.

We’re in Alberta, but I think most of the country was pretty cold this year. Heading home tomorrow. ☹️